Module 5 – Document Management

The Document Management module in a dental clinic covers a variety of filing systems, transfer methods, and procedures for managing both clinical and administrative records. Here is an outline of the topics covered in this module:
 
1. Main Filing Systems for Clinical Records
Among the most common systems, students will study:

a.    Alphabetical System: Records can be filed based on patients’ names. This facilitates searching and retrieving information when sorted alphabetically.
 
b.    Chronological System: Records are organized based on the date of treatments. This allows tracking the evolution of the patient’s oral health over time.
 
c.    Subject-Based System: This system is used in dental clinics conducting research.
 
d.    Geographical System: This is a filing method mainly encountered in rural areas.
 
e.    Electronic System: Most of the dental clinics adopted electronic records management systems, where information is stored digitally. This simplifies access, updating, and sharing of data among the medical team members.
 
2. Internal Methods for Record Transfer

a.    Interpretation of Color Codes: After studying this part, learners should be able to correctly interpret the color codes associated with each year for clinical records. This involves a precise understanding of the meaning assigned to each color and its link to a specific period.
 
b.    Identifying Records to Archive: Identify inactive records based on the defined criterion, using the color-coded labels associated with the current year.
 
c.    Archiving Execution: Students must learn how to archive inactive records, including handling color labels and efficiently removing corresponding records from the active system.
 
3. Management of Administrative Records: This final part of the module teaches how to classify different types of administrative records such as tax files, financial reports, insurance reports, etc.